Oh What a Tangled Web
by Hobbeth
Summary: A CEO and his chauffeur are killed when the limo they were in explodes. Michael is called in to protect the CEO's daughters, who may be the next targets, and to find out who did it. Complete! Please r
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I am only going to say this here, just before the first chapter. It applies to all chapters. Michael, KITT, Bonnie and Devon are not mine. All other characters are. Please do not use them without my permission. Also please do not copy and paste, hotlink or try in any way to put this, or any part of this,on another site without my permission_

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Arthur Peterson - a fifty something man, slightly chunky, with brown hair and amber eyes - finished his breakfast, and turned to look fondly at the two of his three daughters who were at the table with him. All three of them had their mother's auburn hair, and her nose and chin, but these two had his eyes and mouth. The features blended well, and both girls were very attractive, judging by the appreciative looks they received from the men who were in the room with them.

Right now, they were reading the paper. More often than not, the girls wanted to read the same section at the same time. So they received two copies each morning. He had learned quickly that it was easier than listening to them fight over who gets what. But today, the peace in the room wasn't what was on his mind. He began to frown.

"Where's Kelly? Where is your sister? I need to talk to her before I go."

Shauna looked up. "Her door was open as I passed her room on my way down," she replied. "I happened to glance in, and I saw a breakfast tray in her room. She was on her computer."

"Did she see you? Did she say anything to you?"

His youngest daughter sighed and looked slightly disgruntled. "Yes. She saw me, and said she was working, and to tell you she'd be in the office later this morning. I told her I wasn't her personal messenger and she should tell you herself. But I guess she got her way, after all, didn't she?"

Peterson cursed under his breath, picked up his briefcase, kissed his two daughters goodbye and went upstairs. The girls looked at each other knowingly when they heard raised voices for a brief time, then silence. A few moments later, he descended and got into his chauffeured limousine. After the car pulled away, Kelly, his oldest daughter, came downstairs and entered the dining room. She glanced out the window. "He's gone," she said, sighing in relief. "And right on time, as usual."

Shauna asked, "What were you two arguing about up there? We could hear Dad's voice all the way down here."

"Even though I had told him I wouldn't go in with him today, he still expected me to. He said there were a couple of reports he wanted from me first thing this morning. Even though I told him they were done and would be on his desk when he arrived, he was still mad. And he got angrier when he thought he was leaving a minute later than he always does. I swear, he's a slave to the clock."

Laura, the second daughter, replied, "What do you care? You don't even have the courtesy to have breakfast with him, to ride into town with him, or even to be down here to say goodbye when he leaves. You act as though you don't even want to be part of this family."

Kelly glanced at her sister. "Do you really think I'm so stupid that I would constantly subject myself to his contemptuous remarks? Or yours? Or Shauna's?" She nodded toward her other sister, who was sipping her coffee while she listened. "No, I've had enough of that to last a lifetime and more, thank you very much." She turned back to the window and watched as the limo slowed to give the automatic gate time to open fully.

Laura started to reply, but was interrupted by an explosion. "My God! What was that?"

Kelly turned to her, a shocked look on her face. "It's the limo! It exploded at the gate!" She raced outside, heading for the site. Her sisters ran after her.

When they reached the gate, the estate guard was already there. He stopped them from getting any closer.

Laura screamed. "No! Daddy! Someone do something!"

"I'm sorry, ladies. There was nothing anyone can do. We've already called the police."

Shauna fell to her knees, sobbing. "Oh God, no! Please, no!"

Kelly just stood there with a strange look on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

"Arthur Peterson was the head of RTC Enterprises and George Ross was his chauffeur," Devon told Michael and Bonnie, three days later. "He was one of the wealthiest men in the state. He has three daughters, ages 27, 24 and 22, who will inherit now.

"RTC Enterprises. I don't recognize the name. What kind of business is it?"

"It is a conglomerate, research and development mostly," answered Bonnie. "Much of it medical. He was especially interested in hypnosis as a tool for replacing anesthesia, treating psychoses, even storing information. He was so interested in it that he learned how to do it and was often in the lab working with others in experiments on its uses."

"Why would anyone want to kill him, and why are we being brought into this?"

"Excellent questions, Michael," Devon replied. "He contacted me last week. He said that he'd stumbled on some vital information that many would be willing to kill to get – or to keep others from getting. He made the mistake of letting it be known, and he felt that someone was out to stop him."

"It looks like they have succeeded."

"They would have, except for one thing. He did give the information to another – three others, as a matter of fact."

"Three?" Michael paused, thinking. "His daughters?"

"Exactly. He hypnotized them, one at a time, and gave each a different part of the information. But he believed that bit of news may be known, as well. He asked me to have his daughters protected, should anything happen to him.

"Isn't his estate well guarded?"

"You would think so, but as far as we can tell, the bomb was planted while the car was in the garage on the estate. The police have been over it with a fine tooth comb and found nothing, no bits or pieces of anything that could have been used to make the bomb," Devon replied. "And what was left after the explosion had no identifying marks, nothing to tell where the bomb – or any of its parts – came from, even what kind of bomb it was. They are guessing, based on the smell, the size of the explosion, and the residue found on parts of the automobile. Everyone who works there has been questioned, of course, and the backgrounds of all the employees are being rechecked."

"I've downloaded everything we have so far into KITT, Michael," said Bonnie. "The police are investigating, but they can't spare anyone for guard duty. So you're it."

"All right. But didn't Peterson give any hint as to what this information was? Or who he thought might be after it?"

"No to the first question. But he did say that Gregory Cameron, founder and CEO of Cameron Enterprises, tried to buy him out three years ago, shortly after Peterson's wife died. His dossier is among the files being downloaded.

"He also said that Cameron was still pressuring him and that he was the kind of man to stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And Cameron's secretary told the police that the two men had a very loud argument in Cameron's office just two days before Peterson was killed."

"Then I'm off to the Peterson estate to check out their security and get the lay of the land. They are expecting me, right?"

"They have been notified that you are coming, and why."

"Good. I'll contact you later."


	3. Chapter 3

When Michael arrived, Kelly met him at the door. She was tall and slender, with auburn hair and deep green eyes. She would have been attractive, but she dressed drably – _or is it because she is in mourning?_ Michael wondered – and her hair was pulled back and caught at the nape of her neck with a plain band. "Mr. Knight," she said, "I'm Kelly Peterson. My sisters are upstairs right now, in their rooms, but I'm sure they'll be down in a few minutes. Please come in."

"Thank you, Miss Peterson."

"You'd better call me Kelly. There are three Miss Petersons here in the mansion. We won't know which one you're talking to, otherwise." She glanced back at him as she led the way into the study and he saw a glint in her eyes.

_So, she has a sense of humor. That's good._ "Then please call me Michael."

He stopped short when he saw what was on the desk. There was a cloth, and a few small objects were lying on it. Kelly noticed the direction of his gaze and said, "My father's personal effects. They were given back to us this morning."

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but why are they lying out here, instead of put away somewhere?"

"I don't mind. They are out, because I feel something is wrong."

"Wrong? How?"

"That's just it. I can't put my finger on it. Either something is here that shouldn't be, or something is missing that should be. I haven't figured it out. And I keep feeling that there's something else that I'm missing about what happened."

"Kelly! For God's sake, put those things away! What is wrong with you? This obsession with Father's things is absolutely ghoulish."

Michael turned to see two women – _obviously Kelly's sisters, since they look a lot like her. Their eyes are different, though; theirs are amber colored, _he thought - entering the room. Kelly introduced them to Michael and turned back to fold the cloth over her father's things, and put them away in a drawer.

As she did so, she listened to the conversation of the others. The glint of humor returned to her eyes as she heard her youngest sister start to flirt with Michael. _She definitely isn't subtle. And this is going to give him an interesting impression of us._ She glanced up at him to check his expression, but he seemed to be handling her sister well, and even enjoying the attention to a certain extent.

The chore finished, she turned back to the others just as the doorbell rang again. "That will be the lawyer," she said.

"So go let him in. Chambers is busy," replied Laura. Evidently expecting her older sister to obey her order, she turned back to Michael. "Shauna and I thought it was the lawyer arriving, when you came. I'm glad it was you. We need someone here who isn't going to pretend he is all cut up over father's death. My sister and I are devastated enough.

"Your lawyer? Have I come at a bad time?"

"Oh, no, Michael," replied a male voice. Michael glanced up to see a slender man in his late forties, wearing wire rimmed glasses and his curly dark hair sprinkled with a little gray, walk into the room, preceded by Kelly. "Devon advised me that you would be present. I agreed that you should be here for the reading of the will. I doubt it, but it may give you some leads as to who might be responsible. Once I've finished, I will be sending the police a copy, so they can check it out as well."

"Jack Murray," Michael replied as he shook the lawyer's outstretched hand. "It's good to see you again, although I would have preferred it to be under better circumstances."

"Agreed. Well, shall we get to it?"


	4. Chapter 4

After the lawyer left, Laura stood up and walked over to the window to watch him drive away. She returned to the desk and picked up the copy of the will he had left behind. She scanned it, turning the pages quickly, then threw it back down. "What was Daddy thinking, leaving you one third of the stock in the company, Kelly, **and** making you executrix of the will? He must have been drugged or momentarily taken leave of his senses! Didn't you already get enough from Mother?" She looked at her older sister and the contempt on her face was plain.

"And why on earth would he do that?" added Shauna. "He disliked you as much as you disliked him."

Kelly looked up from a letter she had been reading. It had been with the will, and was addressed to her. "Oh come on, you two. You both know why. First of all, he wanted to keep the company in the family as much as possible. And as much as you two may not wish it, I am part of this family. Since he made the will while Mother was still alive, I suspect she had something to do with my getting some of his stock shares. Apparently, he never got around to changing it. And second, neither of you has a head for business or for anything legal. He knew that, in spite of everything, I was the best choice for the job."

"I suppose, now that he's dead, you're going to throw us out of the house," said Laura bitterly.

Kelly looked surprised. "I thought you wanted to leave."

"This is our home. It was Mother's, and she may have left it to you, but it is ours, too."

"So you want to stay here? It's now a home to you? Up till now, you've been calling it a mausoleum."

"Don't be silly, Kel," Shauna said. "That's just the décor. We could change all that and make this a showplace."

"Well, don't start calling decorators right away. I don't want to change anything until we find out who killed Dad and George. And maybe not even then." She turned to Michael. "Do you want one of us to show you the grounds, Michael?"

"Thank you, but I prefer to check around on my own, if you don't mind. But I'd like all you ladies to remain inside, for your own safety, until I get back."

"Of course."

"Well, I don't know about that. I'm tired of staying inside. I want to get out, do things. Why did Daddy think we needed a bodyguard anyway?" said Shauna petulantly.

"That's part of what was in the letter he wrote to me. Apparently he decided to make us part of one of his experiments."

"What?"

"It seems – according to this letter – that he stumbled on some information that could be worth a lot to some people, and a lot more to others to have it suppressed, or even eliminated. He hypnotized us and planted a different part of the information in each of our subconscious minds."

"Why would he do a thing like that? Why didn't he just tell whoever needed it, or make it public to everyone?"

"Does the letter say anything about what the information is?" asked Michael.

"Not a word. Just that it's vital that it be kept secret for the time being." She looked at the letter again, frowning. "That's odd. Why would he use those words, especially in a letter to be given me after his death?"

"That is strange," Michael replied. "So, since it seems that people would have a good reason for either kidnapping or killing any or all of you, please remain here while I have a look around. I won't be gone long."

They finally agreed, and he left the room and headed out to KITT. As they drove off, he said, "Did you have a chance to examine the estate and the surrounding area, KITT?"

"Yes, Michael, and I must say the security around here is quite impressive."

"And yet someone managed to get on the grounds and plant the bomb in Arthur Peterson's limousine."

"I have to admit, I'm at a loss as to how anyone could have done that, Michael. I have been unable to detect any weak link in the system. It even has a scanner that would detect if anyone was hiding inside any vehicle entering or leaving the premises. And I was able to check the records of the past two weeks. There have been no failures of any kind. It sounds more and more like an inside job."

"But who? One of his daughters? Or one of the employees? Do you have the backgrounds of everyone who works here?"

"Yes I do. All of them check out clean. No one has been fired, and no one seems to have a grudge against him."

"Except maybe for Kelly. You heard her sister say that she disliked her father and vice versa."

"True. Devon is calling, Michael."

Michael punched the code in the terminal above the windshield. "Devon. What's the latest?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. Do you have anything to report?"

"Not really. KITT says the security system is in perfect working order, and has been since well before the limo exploded. He can't detect any way for someone to sneak onto the estate. So it sounds more and more like an inside job. And it seems that the elder daughter and Peterson were not on the best of terms."

"But do you really think she has the expertise to do something like that?"

"KITT, is there anything in her files that would indicate she does?"

"No, Michael," KITT replied. "She holds a degree in business administration, and another in philosophy, but nowhere does it show that she learned anything about explosives."

"What about the other sisters?"

"Neither of them has the expertise either. Their role in the business seems to be minimal, mostly public relations. They handle appearances the family makes, and if there are any out-of-town clients to be entertained, they take care of that, too."

"What about the phone records, Devon? Could any of them have called a professional from the house?"

"I'll have Bonnie check that out right away, Michael. But they didn't confine themselves to the house prior to the explosion. So it would be wise to check the business phone records as well."

"Good idea. In the meantime, I'll check out the garage where the limo was kept. Then I'm off to see Gregory Cameron. Later, Devon." Michael terminated the connection as he and KITT finished their tour and headed behind the mansion


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. I hope the next chapters continue to intrigue you. And the disclaimer still holds true._

Gregory Cameron was a man in his early fifties. He was tall and rangy, with brown hair, lightly salted with gray at the temples, and expressive brown eyes. Right now, the expression in them was one of concern. When his secretary had announced Michael, he was curious enough to have her show the younger man in. But when Michael told him why he was there, Gregory became worried.

"Mr. Knight, Kelly is not that type of person. If she disliked Arthur Peterson, she had good reason. He treated her with utter contempt, both publicly and privately. I wish I knew why. But she had other resources she could use to stay away from him. She would have had no motive to kill him. My God, he's her father!"

"Then what about you?"

"What about me? I told the police, and now I'm telling you, I had no reason to kill him."

Arthur Peterson told my employer that you have been trying to buy him out. And I understand that you recently had a loud argument with him. Right here, in fact."

"Well, yes, we did have words. He was - well, the subject of the argument is irrelevant. Suffice it to say that he made a comment that I took great exception to, and I lost my temper. But it never came to blows, and never would have. I calmed down shortly after he left. And yes, I have tried to buy him out, but that's hardly a reason for murder. And it's never been a secret. Peterson's company has been going downhill since he took over after his wife's death three years ago. I knew Maureen; she started that company from scratch and made it into a thriving concern. I wanted to bring it back to what it was before she died."

"Just how far downhill has it gone?"

"Their stock prices have slipped from a high of 84 dollars a share to 12 dollars a share. Their credit rating is also slipping. You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say that Peterson had been deliberately sabotaging the company.

"Why would he do something like that?"

"I don't know, Mr. Knight. But his obsession with hypnotism, and the money he was spending on experimentation in that field was just plain crazy, especially since the results have been minimal, at best. And it's lucky for the company – and its employees – that someone other than myself has cared enough about it to buy up much of the stock. Otherwise, it would have gone under some time ago."

Michael gazed at him for a long moment. "So you know about the hypnotism. Did you also know about the information he said he'd obtained?"

"What, that so-called vital information? It wasn't a secret. Just about everyone had heard about that and most of them wrote it off. Mr. Knight, I don't believe he came across anything like that. He wouldn't haveknown vital information from a 'Honeymooners' show."

"But it appears that someone believed him, and killed him because of it. And now, they may try to kill or kidnap his daughters, since he planted parts of the information in each of their subconscious minds, hypnotically."

"Try to kill them? Have any of them been hurt?"

"Nothing has happened yet. But all three of them are under my protection until we find out and catch the person who killed Arthur Peterson. So if you had anything to do with it, I suggest you think again about going any further with your plans."

"I've already told you, I had nothing to do with it! I have no reason to want to kill any member of that family. I'm very fond of those girls, especially Kelly. Hell, I could wait another month or two, and buy the company for a song, no matter what! Time was on my side, Mr. Knight. It still is."

Michael stood up. "Let's say I believe you. And between you and me, I'm inclined to; your arguments make sense. If you have any idea who might be behind all this, tell me."

"I wish I did, but I haven't a clue. But I'll do some checking around and see if I can come up with anything."

"You do that. I'll be in touch." Michael turned and headed out. On the way, he called KITT and asked him to contact Devon to check on the financial condition of RTC Enterprises.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Michael (who had gone home the night before after making sure security was tight)pulled up to the front of the mansion, to see Kelly emerge from the mansion, evidently heading to a car parked there. "Where are you going?"

"To the office, Michael. I work there, and have been away long enough. Is there a problem?"

"Kelly, there's only one of me. I can't protect you and your sisters if you are in different locations. Plus there's the probability that this was an inside job."

"A what?" She hesitated, looking at Michael in shock. "Who here would want to do something like that? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Someone who had a grudge against him that no one knew about. Or someone who disliked him intensely."

She made a face. "Meaning me, I suppose. But I have no knowledge of how to plant a bomb of any kind, much less how to make one."

"But you could have contacted someone who did."

"But my motive isn't really – yes, I disliked my father, but not enough to kill him. No, Michael. You need to look elsewhere for the killer."

"There is no elsewhere, Kelly. Security on this estate is tight, and was before your father was killed. No, someone on the estate did it and, I'm sorry to say, you are the most likely suspect at this point. I must request you to stay here until we can get this cleared up."

Just then, several things happened at the same time. She shut the car door and turned to go back inside. KITT began to say, "Michael, I'm detecting . . .", and a shot rang out. Kelly collapsed, a hand to her right temple. And Michael dropped behind KITT, then moved over to her. She was unconscious.

He heard the front door open and, glancing up, saw Kelly's sisters start to come out. "Get back inside!" he shouted at them. They stopped and looked at him for a moment, then another shot rang out. They immediately turned and ran back into the mansion.

Michael looked down at Kelly and said, "KITT? Check her vitals."

"Already done, Michael. She seems to have just been grazed by the bullet. She is unconscious, but already starting to come around." Kelly moved her head and moaned slightly. "However, she should have it attended to."

"All right. Open the passenger door, KITT." Michael picked Kelly up and carried her around to the other side of the car, putting her inside. He shut the door and, as he moved back to the driver's side, noticed the front door of the mansion start to open. Laura peeked out.

"Kelly was slightly injured. I'm taking her to get treatment. I'll be back soon. In the meantime, stay inside." Laura nodded, and the door closed. Michael headed out with his passenger to the nearest hospital. "KITT, call Devon and let him know what's happened."

"Right away, Michael."

Three hours later, they were back. Kelly looked pale, but had only a small bandage on her head. When they got inside, she immediately headed upstairs to her room to lie down. Michael watched her go, then turned as he heard someone come out of the living room.

"How is she?" asked Shauna.

"Fortunately, her head was only grazed. Unfortunately, the shooter was too far away for any security cameras or sensors to get a look at who he was." He escorted her back into the living room.

"My God! Someone really wants to kill us? I can't believe it!" exclaimed Laura, who was reclining on the sofa. "What are we going to do now? I don't like the idea of being a prisoner in my own home."

"I know, but it's for your own safety. And you know it won't be forever. We'll find the person responsible. Then you can get back to your own lives. Right now, I'm going to find the spot from where the shots were fired to see if I can come up with anything. Keep an eye on your sister, okay? I'll be back soon."

Laura and Shauna grudgingly assented and left. Michael headed back to KITT, who told him that Devon was calling again. Punching in the code, he said, "Before you ask, Kelly will be fine. It was just a graze, and she is resting in her room."

"That's good to hear, Michael. Bonnie is here and she has the results of the checks of the house and business phones."

"Michael," said Bonnie as she moved into view, "there were no calls to anyone who could have made and/or planted a bomb anywhere on the premises. Every phone call was checked and accounted for, for the last two weeks. Also the whereabouts of everyone who came and left the estate for a week prior to the explosion have been confirmed. All the leads have become dead ends."

"Then that puts us back to square one. No one could possibly have gotten inside, even with help, no one here has the ability to make and plant a bomb himself – or herself - and no one seems to have been contacted by anyone on the inside." He shook his head. "Something's missing here. No one here has the expertise to make or plant a bomb, and no one made any calls from the mansion or the business to someone who could have done it for them. But someone did." He thought a minute. "KITT, do you have the files on Arthur Peterson or George Ross?"

"The victims? I have just the basic information. Why?'

"Devon, do we have any background information on them?

"Not a whole lot. We concentrated mainly on Peterson's life during the last year or two, and very little on Ross." He paused. "Michael, if you are thinking what I believe you are –"

"It's the only thing that makes any sense, Devon. Get their backgrounds, going all the way back to their schools, and send them to KITT as soon as you can." He started the car.

"Where are you going?" asked Devon.

"Up to the site where the shots were fired from. I'm hoping to find some kind of clue or clues. I'll have KITT scan the area and send the pictures to you for analysis."

"Good idea. We'll be in touch."


	7. Chapter 7

When Michael returned to the mansion and went into the foyer, Laura was just coming down the stairs. He looked up at her questioningly and she said, "My sister is awake and says she has a headache, so she's going to remain in bed for now. Did you find anything?"

"Not too much. A man's footprint and a couple of other things that I'm having checked out. How are you and Shauna holding up?"

"Just barely," Shauna answered, entering the foyer from the living room. "This is so ridiculous. If Daddy did implant information in us, we have no knowledge of it. And so we can't tell anyone about it. I think Daddy is the only one who could have unlocked our minds, so it shouldn't matter to anyone whether or not we have it."

"That's true, but someone evidently doesn't believe in taking any chances. That's assuming, of course, that the shooter is someone who doesn't want the information to get out, or is working for that person."

"What do you mean, 'assuming'?" Laura asked, sharply. "What other motive could there be?"

"It could be someone trying to get hold of your company, someone we don't know about yet who had a grudge against your father or one of you, or there could be a motive we haven't thought of yet."

"Michael, we are going stir crazy here," said Shauna. "We've been pretty much stuck here since Daddy was killed. I can't speak for Laura, but I'll go nuts if I don't get away from here, even if only for a few hours."

"I agree with Shauna. We both need to do something away from here, even if it's just to go shopping for a little while."

"What about your sister?"

"Who cares about her?" Shauna said contemptuously. "She's pretty much out for the rest of the day, anyway. She'll be fine." She moved closer to Michael and took his arm, leaning against him. "Oh, come on. It'll be fun. You can take us to our favorite shop and we'll put on a fashion show, just for you."

"Shauna, Michael might not like that kind of thing," her sister warned.

"Even if part of the show included bikinis? What kind of red-blooded man wouldn't enjoy something like that?"

Michael hesitated, thinking. "Look, I'll make a bargain with you two. I'll take you to one store, and you can shop for two hours, no more. I'll wait outside the store. And no sneaking out the back way, either. I'll know if you try to. Agreed?"

Shauna squealed with delight and Laura smiled. "Agreed." They both went upstairs to get their purses. Five minutes later, they were all in KITT and on their way. As they headed onto the highway, the girls commented on KITT's dashboard, but Michael kept his comments general, and KITT remained silent.

A little over two hours later, they were back at the mansion. The women had not bought as much as Michael had feared, but there were several bags to carry up to their rooms, and he gallantly helped them, then checked on Kelly. She was still sleeping.

He went outside to contact Devon, but the older man beat him to it. "Devon," he said as he took his usual place in the driver's seat. "What have you got for me?"

"You were right, Michael," Devon said as his face appeared on the screen. "Arthur Peterson was diverting funds allocated to other departments to his own pet projects – namely anything having to do with hypnosis. The company suffered as a result and now there is to be a general audit."

"That doesn't sound good for the girls."

"Well, that will all depend on what they find. But there's more. Here's Bonnie with the information you requested." He moved to one side, and Bonnie appeared on KITT's screen.

"We did the check you requested and found some interesting bits of information. I'm downloading it to KITT right now. It seems that Arthur Peterson and George Ross served together in Vietnam, in the same unit. They became friends and continued their friendship when they returned."

"Did they specialize in anything in particular?"

"Funny you should ask that. Peterson was an electronics expert and Ross excelled in explosives. Download complete, Michael."

"Thanks, Bonnie. Then that's how the bomb had to have gotten made and planted. And it explains how the parts and ingredients got onto the estate without anyone knowing." A sudden thought occurred to him. "KITT, check their military records, especially the part about their expertise with firearms."

"Michael, George Ross had an average rating, but Arthur Peterson rated marksman."

"My God, Michael!" Devon's face appeared once again on the screen. "Do you realize what this means?"

"Yes, I do."

"How are the ladies?"

"So far, so good. Kelly is still sleeping. I took the other two out shopping for a couple of hours. Right now they are in their rooms putting their purchases away. I guess I'd better get back inside. Talk to you later, Devon."

"Right. And Michael?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

The screen went black and Michael smiled to himself. KITT said, "Michael, I don't see where that piece of information fits into the puzzle. Why would Arthur Peterson blow himself up? "

"I don't think he did, KITT. I have a hunch that there will be a few surprises in store for everyone." He opened the car door and got out. "Stay alert."

"Of course."

As Michael entered the mansion once more, he saw that Laura had just reached the bottom of the staircase, and Shauna was descending. "Well, ladies? Are you feeling any better?"

"Well, yes and no," answered Laura, and her sister agreed. "It was nice to get away from here, even if it was only for a couple of hours. But I wish we were closer to finding the murderer. Are we?"

"We have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle. The problem is trying to get them to fit together properly."

"Why did this have to happen to us?" exclaimed Shauna as she turned to go into the living room. "I wish I could wake up to find that Daddy was still with us, alive and well."

"He is."

All three turned and saw Arthur Peterson walking toward them from the study


	8. Chapter 8

No one moved for several seconds. Then both Shauna and Laura launched themselves at their father, crying. He put his arms around them and held them tightly, kissing each one in turn. He finally loosened his hold on them and looked up at Michael.

"I know. I have a lot of explaining to do. And I will. I think we should all go into the living room and talk."

Shauna and Laura each took one of his arms. As they passed Michael, he said, "What about Kelly? Aren't you concerned about her? After all, she is your daughter, too."

Arthur stopped and looked back at Michael, who was shocked at the hate on his face. "No, she isn't. She's Carlton's bastard!" He turned back to his daughters, who were stunned by his revelation, and he guided them into the other room. Shaking his head, Michael followed.

None of them saw Kelly standing at the top of the stairs. She'd seen and heard everything, and things finally fell into place. _Of course! That's what I couldn't remember; that's what was wrong! The limo never had to slow down there until that day! He always made sure the gate was completely open before they got to that point. And I remember now what was missing from his effects. His signet ring; it was his favorite piece of jewelry. I guess he couldn't bear to leave it in the limo. Why didn't I realize all this before now? _She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead._ So I'm not **his** daughter after all, am I? This explains a lot, since the shot seems to have unlocked certain memories._

She went back into her room and sat down on her bed. She pondered what she had heard for a few minutes, then made a decision. Rising, she dressed and brushed her hair very gently. It hurt to pull it back, so she left it hanging down past her shoulders. Picking up her purse, an envelope, and car keys, she quietly went down the back stairs and headed to the garage.

She got in her car and headed out. _I need to see Gregory Carlton. But first, I have a stop at the bank to make._

Arthur sat down on the sofa with his daughters on either side. They were laughing and crying and asking him question after question. Finally he held his hands up. "Girls, stop. I'll answer ad many of your questions as I can, but I can only do that one at a time, and only if you are quiet?"

"How did you survive and where have you been since the explosion?" asked Laura.

"Honey, George and I weren't in the limo. I thought that if I was dead, the person who had been trying to kill me might just come out in the open. We've been hiding out in that little cabin in the woods at the west end of the property." He looked over at Michael. "You almost caught us when you drove by yesterday. But you didn't look surprised to see me just now."

"When I couldn't come up with anyone who might have been able to do it, I got suspicious and had my friends do a background check on you and your chauffeur. It was the only thing that made any sense. But who was in the car? They did find evidence of two bodies."

"We claimed transients from the city morgue. We dressed them in similar outfits and left enough of our personal effects with them to make everything seem on the up and up."

"Why did you do it, Daddy? We were so devastated, and so frightened when someone started shooting at us this morning," Shauna asked.

He patted her hand. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I felt it was necessary for our safety and peace of mind. I never expected any of you to be shot at. When I found out you **had** been, I decided to come out of hiding. But only you two and Mr. Knight here know that I am alive. And I'm counting on you all to keep it to yourselves for the time being."

"We will, Daddy," Shauna replied, and Laura nodded her agreement when he looked at her. He then looked at Michael.

"Mr. Peterson, I have to tell Devon and Bonnie. This isn't something I can – or want to – keep from him."

There was a pause. "All right. I believe I can trust in his discretion. And I presume hers as well."

"You can. But what about the police?"

"I prefer to keep them in the dark for the time being."

Michael shook his head slowly. "I'm not so sure that's such a good idea."

Arthur was about to argue, when KITT interrupted. "Michael, a car just left the estate by the west gate."

"Can you tell who is driving?"

"It's too far away to see the driver, but the license on the car indicates that it's Kelly's vehicle."

"Kelly!" Arthur jumped up and raced out of the room. As they followed, they saw him head upstairs and into her room. Seconds later, he returned and said, "She's gone! She must have overheard us when we were in the foyer. She must be on her wayto see Carlton. You've got to stop her! She could ruin everything!"

"Why? How?"

"It would take too long to explain. But you have to catch her and bring her back, no matter what it takes. Please, Knight! Just go!"

Michael stared at him for a long moment, then turned and left.


	9. Chapter 9

Kelly arrived at the Cameron Enterprises complex, surprised that she hadn't been stopped by Michael or her father. She parked her car and hurried inside. When the elevator let her out on the top floor, where Gregory Cameron's office was, the secretary looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Kelly. What brings you here?"

"Is he here, June? I really need to see him. It's important, and kind of personal to both of us."

"Hang on. Let me make sure he isn't in the middle of something he can't break away from." June stood up and went through the door into his office. Less than a minute later, she was back. She held the door open and said with a smile, "Go on in."

"Thanks, June." Kelly went into the inner office and the door was closed behind her. Gregory looked up and smiled at her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Kelly?" He stood up and walked around the desk, moving toward her.

"I need to talk to you about – well I-"

"Come, sit down." He led her over to a sofa and they sat next to each other. He noticed the bandage on her head. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I am, or will be. Someone took a couple of shots at Michael and me and one bullet grazed me. I just have a bit of a headache which is easing off."

"I'm sorry this happened to you. But that's not why you came to see me, is it?"

"No. I have to ask you something. I know that you knew Mother before she was married. I need to know how well you knew her."

"What do you mean?"

She hesitated, looking down. Finally she looked directly at him. "Were you physically intimate?"

"When you said personal, I didn't realize how personal you meant. Why do you ask?"

"I – well I came across some information that my father is not Arthur Peterson, but you. If that's true, it would explain a lot of things."

"Kelly, I wish I were, but you were born about a year after I last saw your mother, prior to her marriage. I don't see how I can be."

She turned and pulled a paper out of her purse, which she had laid beside her. "Actually, my birth date isn't what we've believed it to be all these years. I stopped at the bank and checked my father's safety deposit box before I came here. I found another birth certificate in it, one that says I was born four months earlier. And it says something else." She handed it to him.

Stunned, he took it from her and read it. "My God, Kelly! How can we be sure this is real? I mean I want it to be, but I want to be sure."

"It must be. Why else would he keep it in his safety deposit box? And it explains why he's been treating me like he has all these years."

Before either of them could say another word, the door burst open and Michael came through. "Kelly, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cameron. I couldn't stop him. He just brushed by me."

"It's okay, Mrs. Nichols. I suppose I should have been expecting him. Come in, Mr. Knight."

June retreated, closing the door again. Michael moved further into the room. "Kelly?"

"I'm fine, Michael. But I am surprised that you didn't get here before I did. Why didn't you?"

"I contacted Devon – my boss and my friend – and told him what had happened. We agreed that you should see Cameron. I've been tracking you from a distance to make sure you arrived here. But I was worried that it would be too much for you after what happened this morning."

"Then you must have realized that I heard what was said in the foyer." She turned to Gregory and looked at him. "And it's true. We have the same eyes."

He gazed back at her, a look of wonderment and delight growing. He took her face gently between his hands and said, "We'll do whatever it takes to prove that birth certificate is genuine, that you really are my daughter." He paused, looking into her eyes. "My daughter." Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, bring tears to her eyes. She reached out and hugged him.

As Michael watched, they finally separated and she said, "What happened? Why did Mother marry him instead of you?"

"It was all my fault. I loved your mother, still do. But for reasons I can't go into here, I had to leave. I intended to return, and to write your mother while I was gone. But just two weeks later I accidentally walked into the middle of a bank robbery and was shot. I was in a coma for six weeks, and no one knew who I was – the robbers had taken my ID with them. When I came out of it, I had amnesia for several more weeks and by the time I remembered who I was, and tried to contact her, she was already married. I didn't return until after you were born. I really believed you were Peterson's daughter; I never thought otherwise. And now, to find out that you're mine, it's like – it's wonderful."

Michael sat down on a chair facing them. "This is all very well and good, but it doesn't explain why he went through this elaborate charade."

"What do you mean? What charade?" Gregory asked.

Kelly replied for him. "Da- Arthur Peterson isn't dead. He staged the whole thing – he and George. He showed up in the mansion about two hours ago."

"What?"

Michael told them what Arthur had said. "I don't know why he'd say that everything would be ruined if you were to talk to Carlton."

"Michael," replied Kelly, "I remember. I guess the trauma of the shot caused me to remember what he locked in my subconscious."

"You remember the part of the information he gave you?"

She made a scoffing noise. "Information, he calls it. Arthur Peterson is a liar. He's lied to you, to me, to everyone. I still can't say what he planted in me, just that he did plant something in me. All I can tell you is what I just said; he's a liar."

"Then I was right!" Gregory exclaimed. "The information **isn't** something vital, that would cause someone to kill."


	10. Chapter 10

Arthur Peterson began pacing the floor agitatedly. "Where are they? Why aren't they back by now? Surely he's found her; why hasn't he brought her back here?"

"Calm down, Dad," said Laura. "Maybe she didn't go to see Gregory Cameron. If not, Michael could be having trouble tracking her down. And even if she did, you know how stubborn she can be. He might be having trouble persuading her to return."

He stopped pacing for a moment, considering what she'd said, then shook his head. "No, she went to see him. And you heard me tell Knight to do whatever it took to get her back here. He'd better do just that. If she talks to Cameron, all my plans and our future go right down the drain."

"What do you mean, Daddy? And why did you say she wasn't your daughter? You haven't explained that," said Shauna.

"Just you never mind. Look, I'll be in the study. I need to be alone for a while to think. If they return before I do, come and get me immediately, but don't disturb me until then."

Both sisters regarded him with a puzzled look on their faces, but agreed to do as he asked. He left the living room and seconds later they heard the study door close. They looked at each other, then Shauna shrugged and said, "I'm going up to my room. I'll see you later."

Arthur stood looking around the study as though he had never seen it before. Then he started pacing again. _Think, Arthur, think. You need to do something. If Knight doesn't stop Kelly, you'll need to do some major damage control. But what?_

A germ of an idea began to sprout in his brain and he stopped pacing. He found himself in front of a window, staring unseeingly out at the well-tended lawn. He began to smile, and suddenly went over to his desk and turned on his computer. He had a lot of work to do, to get it right. And he'd have to involve at least one of his daughters.

_Laura, I think. She could do what I need better than Shauna, although I may be able to use her, too.And it'll work, whether Kelly is stopped or not. Let's see. . ._

Two hours later, he opened the door and went back into the living room. Laura was still in there, and she was alone, reading a magazine. He beckoned to her; she rose and followed him back into the study. He sat down at the desk and indicated that she should take the chair nearby.

"Laura, I need to call an emergency meeting of the board of directors. Most of them are in town and should be able to come. And of course you and Shauna will have to be there. But I don't think I should make the call, since they still think I'm dead. I want you to do it. I've typed up what I want you to say, and answers to any questions they might have. Schedule it for 10 AM tomorrow."

"All right, Dad," she replied, "but won't you tell me what this is about?"

"Honey, right now it's better that you and your sister don't know. Just do as I say. You'll understand everything before the day is out tomorrow."

"Okay, Dad." She reached for the phone and began making calls.

Once she finished, she left the office, leaving her father to continue working.

She looked for Shauna, and found her sister sitting outside on the back patio. When she sat down by her, she saw that her sister looked troubled. "Shauna," she said, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"If you're thinking that we owe Kelly a big apology, I am. Laura, we've treated her badly, and for no good reason. We didn't even try to find out why Dad treated her the way he did; we just went along with it. And she never did anything to deserve it from us."

"I know. I do too. And I just came from Dad's office. He had me call several of the board members, to tell them that there would be a board meeting tomorrow morning."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, Shauna. I have a bad feeling about it. He's acting very strangely."

"Strangely? How?"

"He won't tell me anything. He came looking for me specifically to make the calls. And he won't explain why he's doing this. And to blow up his car and pretend he's dead – I tell you, it's as though he's become obsessed about something."

"So what do we do?"

"Well, we'll go to the meeting – since Dad is legally dead, we have to, and besides, he wants us there- and see what happens. I sure hope Kelly finds out about it, and shows up, too. Maybe we can work things out with her."

"I hope so, too. Even if we had different fathers, she's still our sister. And we have a lot to make up for."


	11. Chapter 11

"Kelly, can't you tell us anything about what Arthur planted into yours and your sisters' subconscious minds?" asked Gregory.

"If I try, I sort of freeze up, like I've just drawn a blank." She paused, thinking. "Let's see what I can say. I can't tell you if he did the same thing to Laura and Shauna, but he planted the information deep in me. There are layers, circumstances that have to occur to get from one layer down to the next. Once all the circumstances are met, in the right order, then I could communicate the information. But it is highly unlikely that any of them will happen, and some of them are – well – offensive to me, and he knew that. It shows just how much he disliked me." She stopped again.

"Go on."

She looked up at Michael. "What I was going to say next, I couldn't. He was quite thorough in saying that I couldn't communicate anything in any way. Not in speech, song, sign language, body language, even saying or affirming what it isn't. I can't even write it down." She frowned.

"Are you alright?" Gregory asked worriedly. "You aren't in any pain because of this, are you?"

"No. I just wish I could tell you more."

Just then, the phone rang. Gregory got up and answered it. He listened for a moment, then said, "Put him on." There was a brief pause, then, "Cameron here." Another pause. "For when?" Another pause. "Okay. Thank you for informing me so promptly." He hung up and moved back to the sofa. As he reseated himself, he said, "That was – well, you should know that I have someone on the inside of your company, Kelly. He just informed me that your sister has called an emergency meeting of the board of directors. It's for tomorrow morning."

"Laura or Shauna? It doesn't matter; neither of them would do something like that on their own. I think Da- he's behind this."

"I agree, based on what we've learned. But why?" asked Michael.

"I don't – wait! I can't believe what I'm thinking, but it makes a kind of weird sense."

"What are you talking about, Kelly?"

"Michael, in all of my memories of my mother, never did she and – Arthur – show any affection for each other. In fact, he was barely civil to her, and to me, while she was alive. The company was hers, started by her father and made successful by her. His participation in it until her death was minimal. What if he had become so jealous that he wanted to destroy her company – to destroy everything she had built? And maybe even to destroy me as well, since Mother left most everything she had to me, and also because I am her daughter, but not his."

"That's crazy!" Gregory exclaimed.

"But it would explain a great deal," said Michael. He told them what he'd learned about the man and his chauffeur.

"Oh my God! That means that he was probably the one who shot at me. And he kept trying to get me to go with him in the limo that morning, as well as the night before. He's been trying to kill me!" exclaimed Kelly.

"So what is our next move?" asked Gregory.

"I think that you and Kelly should be at that board meeting," replied Michael.

"I agree."

Both men turned and looked at Kelly in surprise. She explained. "There's something I haven't told anyone until now. I've been buying up the stock, as much as I could, over the last few years. I now have enough – with proxies – to hold the controlling votes. I don't want to be president or CEO, but if I have to, to save the company, I will."

"Honey," said Gregory, "you'd make a great CEO. And maybe you and I can work out something. I still want to buy your company. I made a generous offer to your father, but it seems his jealousy and hate kept him from even considering it. If you're right, and he wanted to destroy the company, nothing I could have said or done would have changed that."

"Would you tell me about it?"

"This is where I make my exit," said Michael.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go talk to Devon. We need to figure out where we go from here, and what to tell Peterson about you. Also, I'm not sure FLAG is needed or should be involved any longer."

Kelly stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his arm. "This isn't over yet. I'd like you to be there tomorrow, Michael. I feel that you might be needed, one way or another."

He looked down at her. For the first time, he noticed that her hair wasn't pulled back, but flowed around her shoulders in graceful waves. She looked much more attractive. He smiled inwardly at his train of thought. "I'll talk to Devon and see what he thinks. Then I'll be in touch with you."

Gregory got up and went to his desk. Opening a drawer, he took out a card and wrote something on the back of it. He handed it to Michael, saying, "This is my private number. I'm not letting Kelly go back to the mansion. She could be in danger there."

"Agreed," replied Michael, pocketing the card. "I'll call you in a couple of hours." He turned and left the office.

"Honey," Gregory said, turning to Kelly, "you're going to need a change of clothes, and other items." He pressed the intercom button and said, "Mrs. Nichols, would you come in here, please?"

When the secretary entered, he asked her to go buy a change of clothing and other necessary items for Kelly, and gave her a credit card to charge the items with. Kelly gave her the sizes and some other information. June smiled and said it would be a pleasure, then left.

"Now, about my offer," Gregory started, "let's sit down and I'll tell you all about it."


	12. Chapter 12

Gregory and Kelly arrived at RTC Enterprises together. Both were carrying briefcases. They met two of the other directors in the foyer and were joined moments later by Michael who, with Devon and Bonnie agreeing, decided to see this through to the end. He told them privately that he and Devon had come up with an excuse for Kelly's not returning home that Peterson seemed to accept. The five of them took the elevator up to the boardroom together and arrived on the floor to find three more members waiting. Arthur Peterson and his daughters hadn't arrived yet.

"Kelly, do you know what this is about?" asked one of the female members.

"I'm not sure why the meeting was called, but I do know that before it's over, there will be a few surprises and a new direction for this company. That's why Gregory Cameron is here. He has a proposal that I think you all should hear."

"Well, it's nearly 10. Why don't we all go into the boardroom and wait for him there?" said another member, this time a male.

Everyone turned and headed to the door. The first person through stopped in shock. Sitting in the chairman's position was Arthur Peterson, with his daughters on either side. "Don't just stand there," he said. "Come in, sit down." He smiled and waved his hand at the empty seats on either side of the long conference table.

His smile faded when he saw Kelly, Michael and Gregory walk in. "What's he doing here? This is not an open meeting, Cameron. Get out!"

"He's here at my invitation," said Kelly, "as is Michael. Everyone, I believe you all know Gregory Cameron. This is Michael Knight, from the Foundation for Law and Government. You will see soon why they are here. But 'Father'," and she put a great deal of contempt in her voice, "I think you are sitting in the wrong seat."

"I am CEO of this company and chairman of the board. This **is** my seat and I'm keeping it. Now sit down and be quiet. I have a few announcements to make."

Kelly took her seat next to Laura, who looked questioningly at her. She shrugged and shook her head at her sister. _It may be his seat right now, but not for much longer, _she thought. After setting her briefcase on the floor next to her, she turned her attention to Peterson. He glared at her, but her gaze never wavered.

He turned away and looked down the table. "All right. Let's begin. Miss Winslow will take the minutes." The secretary in one corner of the room nodded and indicated that she was ready. "I called this meeting to inform you of a few decisions I have had to make regarding this company. As you know, we have suffered some losses and as a result our stock has slipped. Therefore, I have decided to streamline the company down to just one department. It was a hard decision, but I feel the progress the medical department - the hypnotism section in particular - has made, more than justifies this step."

"What?" "No!" "You can't do this!" "What do you think you are doing?" "That's ridiculous! That department hasn't made any significant progress," were cries heard from around the table.

"Enough. I'm not interested in your opinions about my decision. I can and I will do this," Peterson retorted, "and none of you can stop me. With the stock my daughters and I own, plus other proxies, I have enough to outvote you all, and I –"

"No you don't," said Kelly. "You don't have my proxy, and never did."

"If you think the paltry shares of stock your mother left you will stop me, then you have another think coming."

Kelly smiled. "I have far more shares in this company than that. I have exercised my stock options every year – oh you didn't know I had that, did you?" she added, when she noticed the startled look on his face – and I have been buying as many shares as I could over the past five years, starting when I realized that Mother was dying and you would take over. You have been doing everything you could to ruin this company. Why?"

"How dare you accuse me of something like that? You have absolutely no idea of what I've been doing to—"

"I have more knowledge about your activities than you think. I remember."

Arthur Peterson sat back in his chair, his face paling. He said feebly, "I don't believe you."

The other members turned to each other and Kelly heard one of them say, "What's she talking about? Remember what?"

"Do you want to tell everyone the truth, or shall I?"

"You wouldn't dare!"

She gazed calmly at him, smiling slightly. She turned to the others in the room, who all looked confused. "Arthur Peterson is not my father," she said. "Gregory Cameron is. Peterson showed up at the house yesterday and one of the first things he said was that I wasn't his daughter. I remembered that as executrix of Peterson's will, I had access to his safety deposit box. I knew that he'd put some of my mother's papers in it after she died. I went there yesterday and found a birth certificate with my name on it. This one said that I had been born four months earlier than what I had been led to believe. A check with the hospital confirmed that it was the genuine one. Also, that rumor that he had planted vital information hypnotically in my sisters and myself is – well, all I can say is that he is a liar."

She turned to Peterson. "Did you even implant any information in my sisters, or was it just me you hypnotized? How long have you known that I wasn't your daughter?

"I knew before I ever married your mother!" he spat.

"Then why did you marry her?"

"For the company! For the power it would give me! But she put conditions on our marriage and my becoming part of RTC. One was to treat you like my own daughter. And she decided that I wasn't doing that, so she never turned the reins completely over to me, like she promised. The day she died, was the best thing that had happened to me in years!"

"Father!" gasped Shauna. "You're saying –"

"No, darling. I don't mean you and Laura weren't – I mean, I love you both. Look, I may not have loved your mother, but you are **my **daughters. I would never harm either of you in any way. You're a part of me. Kelly is right; I never implanted anything in your subconscious minds. You two were never in any danger."

Shauna and Laura both looked shocked. They turned and looked apologetically at Kelly, who smiled at them briefly, then turned back to their father.

"But as time went on, you grew to despise my mother, even hate her, because you decided she wasn't keeping her end of the bargain, even though you hadn't kept yours. And you hated me, as well, because I was her daughter, but not yours. Once she died, you dropped any pretense of civility toward me. And it was because Mother still was in love with Gregory Cameron, right?"

"Very good, Kelly; you're right on the money. Oh, I was attracted to your mother, physically. But she didn't feel anything in return, not really. And after a few years, she said I revolted her. But I was her husband, and I had certain rights, which I exercised. Is it any wonder I wanted to destroy what she had made, after the way she treated me?"

During this time, everyone else was listening in shock. Then one man stood up. "Now just a minute, Peterson. This has gone far enough. You may have gotten away with a lot over the last few years, but it ends here!"

"Sit down, Russell!"

Instead, the man turned to the rest and said, "I move that we consider firing Arthur Peterson as CEO and removing him from the board. Does anyone second the motion?" Instantly, several people agreed.

"You can't do this. I have a contract.

"The terms of the contract state that you can be relieved, should we find you have done anything deliberately that would cause damage to this company in any way, including its reputation, stock value or credit rating. It is evident to me from what we've heard here that you have done so," replied Nichols. "It is our duty to stop you."

"I can block you!"

"No, you can't," said Gregory. "You are officially dead, and until such time as that changes, your stock and proxies would be voted by your daughters – all three of them. Plus, Kelly has the extra shares to tip the balance. I've seen her portfolio."

Laura turned to Kelly. "Is that true?" Kelly nodded. "Then," Laura continued, turning to the rest of the board members, "I think we've heard enough to vote. Unless someone wants to speak on behalf of my father." She looked at Shauna, who shook her head slightly and looked down. Then she looked at the others, none of whom indicated a willingness to speak. "Then, it's time for a vote."

"Laura, don't do this to me. I'm your father!"

She looked at him with a combination of pity and scorn. "And weren't you my father when you decided to do this to the company that Shauna and I are also part of? What would you have had us do then? The house is Kelly's and because of the way we've treated her – following your lead, I might add – she would have been justified in throwing us out. We would have had no viable means of providing for ourselves. Or would you have taken care of us?"

Peterson opened his mouth as if to reply, but thought better of it and subsided, shrinking back into his seat. He grew thoughtful.

Laura turned back to the others. "Does anyone, other than my father, object?"

No one did.

"Then all in favor of removing Gregory Peterson as CEO and Chairman of the Board, please indicate so by a show of hands." Everyone's hands went up, including hers, Kelly's and Shauna's. "All opposed?" Slowly, Peterson's hand went up. His look was venomous.

"You will regret this, I promise you."

"The ayes have it. Father, I'm sorry, but you were wrong. I regret that I have to do this; I do love you, but I loved Mother, too. I can't let you ruin her company. You are hereby fired as CEO of RTC Enterprises, and removed as chairman of the board. Please leave."

"Laura, don't do this. You have to understand, I did this for you and your sister. Please don't do this."

"No you didn't," said Michael. "Laura and Kelly were as much a part of your wife as they are of you. Didn't you realize that hurting her would hurt them, too?"

Peterson paled at that thought. "I –"

"Just one moment." All eyes turned to Kelly, who was looking at the man she used to call Dad. "You tried awfully hard to get me into the limo with you that day. Was there another body, a female one, or was I supposed to be in that car when it blew up?"

He sneered at her, full of hate. "What do you think? You're so smart; figure it out." He rose slowly from the chair and moved around the table in her direction. "Your mother's fair haired child; you were always a reminder of what I couldn't have. Well, now the tables are turning."

He pulled out a gun and, before anyone could move, aimed it at her. "Everybody stay where you are. Kelly and I are going to take a trip together." He grabbed her arm. "I may have lost this company, but I'm not going to lose anything else. And you're going to help me make sure of that. Move!"

She walked down the length of the table toward the door and opened it. He kept her between himself and the others the entire way. As he went out, she turned and looked directly at Michael. _Now you know why I wanted you here, _was what her look said to him_. I was afraid of something like this. Help me!_ Then the door closed


	13. Chapter 13

Pandemonium immediately broke out in the boardroom. Gregory started for the door, but Michael stopped him. "This is what I'm here for. I'll stop him and bring her back safely."

"You do that, Knight. I just found my daughter; I don't want to lose her."

Michael went to the door and pulled it open slightly. No one was outside, and he heard the elevator doors closing. He turned back to the room and said, "Everyone stay here." Then he headed toward the stairs, raising his wrist to his mouth.

"KITT, Peterson is trying to get away and he has Kelly with him. Meet me out front. And keep him in sight."

"I'm on my way, Michael."

He headed down the stairs at breakneck speed and made it to the ground floor unscathed. As he ran out the front door, KITT arrived, opening the driver's side door as he screeched to a stop. He got in and KITT said, "They are pulling out of the parking lot now, Michael."

"Okay. Keep them in range. I need to know where Peterson is going. And call Devon."

When the older man came on the line, Michael apprised him of the situation. By that time, it was evident that they were heading for the mansion. Devon said he would call the police, having them approach the estate discreetly, but quickly. He reached for the phone as his image faded from the screen.

When Michael pulled up to the gate, it was closed and the guard was no longer around. He had KITT check, and no one was on the grounds. His sensors indicated two figures in the mansion. "KITT, can you access the gate controls to open it?"

"Of course, Michael."

The gate never had a chance. In seconds it started to open, and Michael drove through, heading quickly up the driveway.

KITT skidded to a stop next to Peterson's car and Michael punched up the scanners once again. "They are upstairs in the master bedroom, Michael."

"Okay, buddy. Stay alert. I may need you before this is over." Michael got out and headed into the mansion.

He paused in the foyer and whispered into his wrist-com, "Let me know if they move."

"All right, Michael," was the equally quiet reply.

He quietly went up the stairs and toward the master bedroom. Soon he was able to hear voices.

"Why are you bothering to do this? Everyone knows now, and you'll be hunted. That's not freedom. You'll be looking over your shoulder all the time and never sure when someone will catch you."

"Shut up! There are plenty of places I can fly to where no one will find me. And they won't find you, either. I'm going to drop you off along the way - without a parachute."

There was a pause, and Michael heard Kelly exclaim. "You weren't siphoning money for your pet projects; you were siphoning money for yourself!"

"Right you are. It was just an unexpected perk that I became interested in hypnotism and found out I was good at it. It came in handy, didn't it?"

"Well, so much for providing for your daughters. You **were** just going to leave them to fend for themselves, weren't you? You never really loved them, did you? I don't think you know how to love."

Michael heard the sound of a slap, and the words, "I said shut up!" Seconds later, there was a click and then, "Okay, young lady; get up. It's time to go." There was movement, and he ducked back into another doorway as he saw Kelly come out, closely followed by Peterson. But he wasn't far enough back and the older man spotted him.

"I see you, Knight. Come out into the hall or I kill her here and now."

Michael moved into the middle of the hall. He saw that the man had a gun in one hand and a large suitcase in the other. "Give it up, Peterson. There's no way to escape."

"Wrong, Knight. I have the upper hand here. Now turn slowly and move down the stairs. Move!"

Michael started to turn, but Kelly decided just then that she'd had enough. She said, "That's it! I'm not going any further!" She elbowed Peterson hard in the abdomen, causing him to drop the suitcase, and quickly moved to one side.

Michael turned back and lunged toward them, reaching for Peterson's gun hand. They struggled, and Peterson's gun fell out of his hand. The older man shoved him away, grabbed the dropped suitcase and ran down the hall, with Michael hot on his heels.

Peterson made it out of the door, but Michael had alerted KITT, who blocked the way just in time. Peterson ran into him, and Michael reached him before he could recover. They struggled once again, then Michael slugged him. He fell heavily to the ground, moaned once, and didn't get up.

"Nice hit, Michael." He turned to see Kelly at the top of the steps. She walked toward him and looked down at Peterson. "I wish I could have done that, but I'm glad I was here to see you do it."

"Are you okay, Kelly?" He put an arm around her and felt her shaking. He tightened his hold.

She nodded. "He couldn't hurt me, as long as I was doing the driving. But I'm very glad you came when you did. Thank you." She reached up, pulled his head down and kissed him on the cheek.


	14. Chapter 14

They heard the sound of cars coming up the drive and turned to see two police cars and Laura's car. Michael went over to Peterson and, grabbing him by one arm, pulled him up just as the first vehicle arrived. The officers got out and came toward the two men.

"Officers, he's all yours. The charges are embezzlement and attempted murder, for starters." Michael handed the dazed man over to the cops, who took him, cuffed him, and put him in the back of their vehicle. One of them started back to talk to Michael, but stopped as Laura and Shauna rushed by him.

"Kelly," Shauna said, "are you alright? You have a mark on your face!"

"Yes, I'm fine. He didn't get a chance to hurt me, not really. He just didn't like something I said to him." She smiled at her sisters.

"We owe you a big apology," began Laura. "We both imitated the way he treated you, and we had no reason to do so. It was just that he was doing it, and we – I – thought he had a good reason. We never knew, nor did we even bother to ask him why. I hope you'll be able to forgive us someday."

"What she said goes for me, too. I'm so sorry," added Shauna. "I feel so foolish. I loved – love him, but what he's done – well, it's just wrong. I never realized he hated our mother so much. I guess I didn't want to know."

"Thank you both. I accept your apologies. After all, half or not, you still are my sisters." She reached out for them and they indulged themselves in their first group hug. Then Kelly continued with, "And together we can do a lot for this company. I think you two should think about what more you could contribute. By the way, did my – father – tell you his offer to buy the company?"

"Well, he started to, but Shauna and I left. We couldn't stay, knowing that Dad might get away and you would be hurt. We had to come," answered Laura. She smiled suddenly. "Gregory's probably still talking to the board."

Kelly laughed. "You're right. After all, he's known that I'm his daughter less than 24 hours, and has been a businessman for far longer than that. He told me about it yesterday evening. It's a good offer, but I think I have a counter offer to make. I'd like to tell you about it later, then we can present it to him and to the board."

"Miss Peterson."

All three girls turned to the officer who spoke. He smiled, realizing why, and pointed to Kelly. "Sorry, I meant Kelly Peterson. We'll need a statement from you; actually, we'll probably need statements from all three of you. We'd like you to come down to the station as soon as possible."

Michael stepped forward. "Officer, I'll bring Kelly down in a while, and the other two can follow in Laura's car."

"That will be fine." He picked up the suitcase that Peterson had dropped and took it to his car, putting it in the trunk. He and his partner got in and soon only Michael and the girls remained.

"Let's go inside. I think we need to sit down and relax for a while before going into town," said Shauna. "I know I do. And it is lunchtime. Let's get something to eat, then we can go"

"Wait a minute," Kelly said. "Michael, I saw you talking into your watch when you chased him down the stairs, and heard your car start up. Yet there was no one in it, and never has been, other than you. What is going on?"

He turned to his car. "Well, buddy, it looks like the jig is up. Say hello to the ladies."

"Hello, Kelly, Laura, Shauna. I'm pleased to meet you all."

"Ladies, meet KITT."

Exclaiming in astonishment, all of them went over to the vehicle, which opened both doors, allowing them a better look inside. Laura and Shauna had already seen it, but Kelly had been pretty much out of it when she was transported to and from the hospital, so they let her sit in the passenger's seat. Michael had him call Devon, so he could report what happened and introduce the sisters. Devon, as always, was the soul of charm and courtesy, expressing his delight at making their acquaintance. He also told them how happy he was that no one was hurt any worse than Kelly's injury. About that time Chambers, who had kept out of harm's way, but witnessed the events, came to the door and told them that lunch was ready. They said goodbye to Devon and went inside.

Kelly first called the office to have someone advise the board of Peterson's capture and arrest. As it happened, there was a speakerphone in the boardroom, so she was able to tell them herself, and assure them that everyone was fine. It turned out that she was right about her real father; he was there, nearing the end of his presentation of his offer. She asked them to hold off making any decisions, as she had a counteroffer in mind. They agreed, and another meeting was set up for the following week. Two hours later, they were at the police station, giving their statements


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue

Two weeks later Michael, Devon and Bonnie found themselves at RTC Enterprises, by invitation. The gathering was held in the CEO's office, which was now Kelly's. The Petersons were having a celebration, and asked the others to join, since they were instrumental in making it happen. Shortly after the FLAG group arrived, Laura and Shauna – one carrying a tray of champagne flutes, and the other a bottle of Dom Perignon – walked into the office.

"I have an announcement," said Kelly. "We are merging with Cameron Enterprises, and will be setting up a subsidiary, which Laura and Shauna are going to head up. This way, any surplus employees have a chance at continuing to work, just in a new department. My sisters and I ended up having a sort of pajama party that night, improving our relationship. It continues to get better each day. They've even helped me learn to dress more fashionably. That's what led us to the idea of the subsidiary."

"It will help talented young fashion designers develop their own ideas, instead of having to design in the styles of the established ones. Shauna and I have long felt the creativity of the new people was being suppressed. And if it works out, we may branch out into other facets of social life, such as home decorating and catering," said Laura.

"We have a long way to go to get this established. We have to decide what types of fashion designing, whether it's just clothing or accessories, too, if we're going to include specialists in certain areas like leisure wear, mix-and-match, and so on, plus what our criteria will be for selecting who we back," added Shauna. She sighed. "There are so many details to work out."

Kelly smiled at her sisters' enthusiasm. Then she continued, saying, "The audit is complete, the stolen money has been returned, our stock has risen and the credit rating will be reexamined in six months. By that time, everything should be restored to what it was, if not better." She grinned. "I liked Dad's offer, but he loved ours."

"I see you are having no trouble calling him 'Dad', Kelly," Michael observed, smiling.

Her smile changed to one of complete joy. "Not a bit. It feels so good to have a father who shows me that he cares. With Laura and Shauna's blessing, I'm planning to have my last name legally changed to Cameron. Plus, we're redecorating the mansion together; it turns out that we have very similar ideas about how it should look. When it's done, we'll have another party there."

"And you are all hereby invited to that party, too." Laura saw Devon eyeing the bottle and said, "Nothing but the best for those who helped save us. I only wish we could do something for KITT."

"Now that you mention it," KITT replied through Michael's wrist-com, "I do have an oil change coming up –"

"KITT," said Michael. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, if they really want to do something for me, they should be given the opportunity, shouldn't they?"

"You're absolutely right, KITT," said Kelly, watching Devon gallantly open the bottle and pour the golden liquid into the glasses. Laura and Shauna began passing them around. She glanced at Bonnie, who was looking amused.

"KITT gets a special oil, and his checkups are highly specialized as well," Bonnie said when she caught Kelly's look. "You wouldn't be able to obtain –"

"Maybe not, but," Kelly glanced at her sisters, who caught on to her train of thought and nodded smilingly, "all the oil changes, lube jobs and checkups for the next year are on us. Okay?"

Michael, Bonnie, and Devon all looked at each other, then at the sisters. Finally, Michael said, "KITT, how does that sound to you?"

"It's just what I had in mind, Michael. Finally, someone is willing to express his – or her – admiration and appreciation tangibly."

Amid the laughter, Michael proposed a toast. "To tangibility."


End file.
